Unfinished Business
by sentient1212
Summary: Jack faces an old enemy, and finds he deserves happiness. This takes place immediately after The Terror Business. Please review it! And enjoy!


Unfinished Business - Chapter 1

At breakfast the next morning Jack felt good about himself for the first time in a long time. He felt vindicated by Palmer's arrest, and great satisfaction at his part in it. He looked lovingly at Barbara standing at the stove, making pancakes, which she knew was his favorite breakfast. He was happy, and relaxed. He never wanted these feelings to end.

Lying in Barbara's arms the night before had made him feel like the worst had passed, that he could face the future with confidence. Then a disturbing thought occurred to him. Barbara hadn't responded when he'd told her that he loved her. He was suddenly very afraid.

As she set down plates of pancakes for both of them, he looked at her. He had to know.

"I love you," he said, but not without trepidation. What if she didn't feel the same way?

"I love you, too, Jack. I never said those words before, and it feels wonderful to say them. I love you more than anything in the world." She came around behind him, and put her arms around him. He stood, and kissed her. She responded, and they stood locked in each other's arms. As they pulled away from the embrace he kissed the top of her head, realizing that he had known what she would answer. Love like this couldn't be one-sided.

Jack was smiling as he sat down in his chair. He realized something else. He had a future. As he sipped his coffee, he watched her. She was looking at him, and she smiled, too. "You're the best man I've ever known, Jack. You're a good man, in every way. And I know you love me."

Jack realized he didn't feel nervous about his next step as he'd have thought, and he had to know this, too. "Will you marry me?" he asked, feeling like this was the most natural thing in the world, although he'd never imagined proposing over pancakes. He waited for her response, but he didn't have to wait long.

"Yes, I'll marry you," she said, with a big smile. "I can't wait to marry you."

He breathed what was not quite a sigh, but he felt a huge wave of relief. He definitely had a future. He felt even more confident now, overjoyed that they would face life together. No matter what awaited them, they would share it, the good times along with the bad. Jack was too experienced in life, too mature, to believe that everything would always come up roses. He knew that there would be adversity; that was just the way life was. But at least whatever lay before him, he would share it with the woman he loved. He wouldn't be alone.

Jack realized that he was finally over Teri's death. He accepted it now, and his feelings of guilt receded. He knew he would never fully let go of those feelings, but he could go on, and feel a happiness he thought he'd never know again. He was content, for the first time since Teri was murdered. Love did that to you.

Kate had never been able to fully accept his need to continue with CTU, probably because she'd experienced first-hand the dangers and horrors of his profession. He didn't blame her. They'd never quite gotten to discussing marriage, and for this Jack was grateful. He knew they'd both avoided the pain of an inevitable divorce. He'd heard that she'd found someone else, who really cared for her, and she for him. He was glad for Kate. She was a wonderful woman, and she deserved all the happiness life could bring.

Jack returned to the present. After the pancakes were finished, he sat back in his chair. There was something urgent to discuss.

"I was at CTU yesterday. There was another bomb threat, and I helped them find it. Palmer was behind it."

Barbara hadn't heard the news that morning, so she didn't yet know of the president's resignation. She was shocked by what he said, but even more shocked that Jack had gone back to CTU. She was also frightened.

"Jack," she asked cautiously, "is this what you want? Are you sure you want to go back there?"

"I'm not going back, Barb. I just went there yesterday, to help out." He always minimized his contributions, she knew. "I'm not returning to CTU. I don't have what it takes anymore."

Barbara realized that Jack hadn't said he wasn't interested. His statement that he believed he wasn't up to it wasn't the same thing. And she recognized the falsity of what he had said, even if he did not. Jack would always be able to do that work. He was born to do it. But she was scared, for she of all people knew what they'd done to him, how they'd betrayed him. She knew that no one at CTU had given a damn when Jack was prosecuted and imprisoned, and she certainly didn't trust them. But if he wanted to return, she wouldn't stand in his way. She would always stand by him. She knew what he was, and she accepted it. Jack, at heart, would always try to help people, and he helped best as a counterterrorism agent. But still she was afraid.

She hesitated before she spoke. What she said now was very important, and how she said it mattered just as much. "I'll be with you no matter what you decide, Jack. If you do decide to go back to CTU, I'll understand. It's who you are, and I'll never try to change you."

Jack heard what she said, and he appreciated it, but he was surprised. He really didn't intend to go back to CTU. He didn't know why she expected that he would.

The phone rang. It was Michael Stern, the Director of CTU, calling from Washington. Usually he had his secretary place his calls, but this time he'd it dialed himself. He very much needed to speak to Jack, and he realized that doing it without formality was best.

"Hello, Jack," he said. "It's Mike Stern. How are you?" Jack knew Stern, from his visits to CTU in L.A., as well as from his own trips to Washington. Stern had given commendations to Jack several times, in secret. CTU didn't publicize the names of its agents, but Jack had been identified in the press after thwarting the Palmer assassination, and again when he'd found the bomb planted by Second Wave. Because of Palmer's resignation, he realized that everything about Operation Nightfall and the Drazens' attempts at revenge would now come out. His name would be connected with it. Jack wasn't comfortable with the publicity, but there was nothing he could do to change it. His name was known, and because his picture had been in the newspapers and on the TV news, he was sometimes recognized in public. He didn't think he'd ever get used to being a minor celebrity, but he knew that he couldn't stop it.

"I'm fine, thank you, Mike. How are you?" He said it cautiously. He was sure he knew what was coming.

"Great, Jack, just great. I wanted to thank you for the work you did yesterday. You saved us again. I'm shocked that Palmer was behind this, but it explains why he refused to pardon you. CTU, I, should have stood by you after the Salazar episode, and I'm sorrier than I can say that I didn't. I know that we should stand up for our agents, and we didn't. I didn't," he again corrected himself.

"I appreciate that, Mike, I do," Jack said, although he wasn't sure he really felt that way. He still felt a certain bitterness that he didn't think would ever fully go away.

"Jack, there's something I need to discuss with you. I want to meet with you. I'm going to fly out there so we can talk."

Jack felt a certain trepidation. Was Mike going to try to talk him into returning to CTU? Was Barbara right about his future?

"What do you want to talk about, Mike? We might as well do it now. There's no reason for you to have to come out here." Jack knew what Stern was going to say, and there was no reason to prolong this. He was sure of his response.

"Okay, Jack. I'll get to the point. We want you back at CTU." Stern was afraid he knew the answer Jack would give, but he was determined to get his best agent back. They needed him more than ever. The world was coming apart, and Jack was the best they had to try to hold it together. Terror threats were increasing, and Stern could only hope that his agents were up to the task of safeguarding the public, but he knew that with Jack on board their chances would improve immeasurably. He had to get Jack to come back.

Stern got the answer he expected. "No, Mike," Jack said with determination. "It's not going to happen."

"Jack, look, I'm not asking you to come back as a field agent. I know what you've been through. I know what happened to you in prison. I want you to come back as Director of Field Ops for CTU. For the whole agency," he added. He wanted to be clear.

"Mike," Jack replied, "I'm staying in L.A. I'm engaged now, and my fiancee's office is here. Besides, I'm through with CTU, for good."

Stern had expected this. "Jack, I'm not going to tell you how much we need you. You already know that. Yesterday was a prime example. If it wasn't for you, we'd never have made the connection to Emil Drazen, and we wouldn't have been able to find the bombs. Drazen is still out there," Stern continued. "We're trying to locate him, so far without success. He's covered his tracks well. We're still tracing the money, but we haven't been able, yet, to get beyond what you found yesterday. I've got our best analysts on it, and I hope they'll find something soon. But then we'll have to go in and get him. I need you to plan the operation."

Jack knew that they had to find Emil Drazen. As long as he was on the loose, he was a threat to Jack's family. Jack realized he would never be able to turn his back on anyone named Drazen. Stern had hit a nerve, and he knew it.

Stern waited expectantly. He knew Jack couldn't let Emil Drazen get away. Jack was at risk with him out there, and even more importantly to Jack, his family was in danger. Maybe, if he could get Jack back to plan Drazen's capture, he would agree to stay on. Baby steps, he told himself. Just one at a time.

As Jack hesitated, he knew that Stern was luring him in, but he was using just the right bait to do it. And he knew that Stern knew it. He had thought this out carefully.

"I'm not leaving L.A.," Jack repeated. He was stalling for time. How could he plan just one operation, without being sucked back in to CTU?

"Jack, with secure faxes and sat phones, you don't have to come to Washington. You can run all operations out of the CTU office there." Stern was prepared to make any accommodation to get Jack on board.

Jack felt himself relenting. He had to get Drazen. "I'm not signing on again, Mike," he said firmly. "I'll plan a mission to get Drazen, but that's all."

Stern knew he had to take what he could get, at least for now. He hoped that Jack would give in later. "That's great, Jack," he said with relief he hoped wasn't evident in his voice. He didn't want Jack to feel how hard he was being pressured.

After Jack hung up, he looked at Barbara. She understood what had just happened. She realized that, despite what Jack had said, his involvement with CTU would be more than just planning a mission to capture Drazen. She knew what she had told Jack earlier, that she accepted that he would return to CTU, but she was afraid for him. She didn't trust the people there, and she didn't believe that Jack could ever just plan operations. She was sure he would go back into the field.

"Are you okay with this, Sweetheart?" he asked. He, too, knew what she had said, but talking about it hypothetically was different from facing a reality.

"Yes, Jack, I am. I know you need to do this. Whatever you decide, I'll support." She didn't realize she had echoed Jack's own words to Chase.

"I'm going to have to go in to CTU," he said. "I'm going to have to review everything they've turned up on Drazen, and try to find out about his past. We need to learn everything about him, about where he grew up, who his friends are, intel like that. That's the only way we'll be able to find him, and take him out." Barbara was a sophisticated lawyer. She understood what Jack meant.

"I was going to take today off, but if you're going in to CTU I'll go to my office," she said. "But I won't stay late. I'll make sure I'm here by the time you get home."

He loved the idea that she would be waiting for him. He had someone to come home to.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 2

As he drove up to CTU, Jack felt his confidence ebb. He wasn't sure at all that he'd made the right decision. He knew he couldn't stand aside and trust that others would get Drazen. He had to make sure they did it right. But still he felt that he was crossing a threshold, and might be going into a chamber of horrors. He was afraid he might not be able to get out.

Jack waved back to the security guard, and the gate to the garage opened. He was careful to park in a slot marked for visitors. He didn't want anyone to misunderstand.

He walked to the entrance, and the guard there waved him through as well. As he opened the door, he was struck again by how many more people were working there. He'd have to learn a lot of names. He'd be sending some of them into danger, and he always remembered that they were people. They weren't just agents. That was a major reason why people were willing to put themselves in Jack's hands. They trusted that he would not take unnecessary risks with their lives.

Tony saw him enter, and came over to him. "I want to thank you again, Jack. I dropped the ball yesterday. I'm glad you were here."

"It's okay, Tony." Jack changed the subject. "I know Brad spoke to Mike Stern, but I want to make sure you know what I said to him. I'm only here to help with a mission to get Drazen. I'm not back for good."

Tony didn't acknowledge that statement. "We'd better get you settled, Jack, unless you want to keep working out of Tech 1. But I think it'll be better if you're in a regular office." Jack looked at the upper level. They'd moved things around, and there were more private offices now. Tony led him up the stairs, and into a room only slightly smaller than Hammond's. Jack realized that the size of the office still reflected where its occupant stood in the CTU food chain.

The room was empty, except for a desk, a couple of chairs, and an old, slightly worn couch. A computer stood on the desk. There were no papers, no signs of a previous occupant. Jack was glad the office was so spare, and he had no intention of adding any personal touches. He didn't need it to be comfortable. He wasn't going to be here long.

"I'll get you all of the intel we have. We're starting to research Emil's background. We should be able to get you up to speed right away."

Jack sat at the desk as Tony walked to the stairs. He was just booting the computer when Hammond walked in. "Welcome back, Jack. You did a great job yesterday."

"I'm not 'back,' Brad. I'm just here to plan an operation to get Emil Drazen. That's all. After that, I'm out of here." He was going to keep saying it until everyone got the message. He knew he was finished with CTU. Now it was just getting everyone else to acknowledge it.

"You know that's not what we want, Jack. But we'll take what we can get," Hammond replied, thinking that was not at all how the brass at CTU felt. Hammond had had a long talk with Stern that morning, and had understood his determination to get Jack to return to CTU on a permanent basis. But Hammond could see Jack, could see the shape he was in. He, too, knew what had happened to Jack in prison. He had his doubts that Jack could stand up to the pace of CTU. But he wasn't about to challenge his boss.

"Are you the Director of CTU L.A. now, Brad? Why'd you move your office here?" Jack's curiosity from the day before had returned, and now he needed to know the pecking order.

"We've changed some things, Jack, since you left." 'Left' was a polite euphamism for 'went to jail.' They both knew it. "You'll report directly to Mike at headquarters. I'm not your supervisor." Jack realized that Hammond had side-stepped the question. He wasn't sure why.

Jack was glad to hear he'd be working directly under Stern. Operations usually required breaking the rules, and Hammond was a stickler for protocol, as Jack knew. He hoped that Stern would better understand the need for creativity, as Jack liked to think of it. He didn't exactly believe that rules were made to be broken, but he had always accepted it when it became necessary. That it had been necessary so many times in Jack's career was not something anyone was happy about, including Jack. It was a lot easier to go with the flow than to be a maverick. But he knew that he could never have been as effective if he'd been less independent. He wasn't sure the others at CTU appreciated that.

"Just tell me if there's anything you need, Jack. We want to get Drazen as soon as possible. We don't want him to have a chance to mount another threat," Hammond told him. He didn't have to add that the sooner they got Drazen, the safer Jack and his family would be.

As Hammond walked out, Tony returned. He was carrying a key card. "This will get you into the servers, Jack. I've reactivated your old passwords, so you can get into the system that way." He handed Jack the card. "Everyone here is at your disposal. This operation has top priority."

"Thanks, Tony," Jack said. "I want to start looking at the new intel."

"I'll let you get to work, then," Tony replied. "Holler if you need anything."

Jack closed the door to the office as Tony left. He wasn't feeling very social. He just wanted to get this mission done, and he'd leave. He wasn't going to stay at CTU.

As Jack started to review the new intelligence, he saw that they'd been busy since he'd left the night before. The file on Emil Drazen was now quite substantial.

Emil's father, Andrei, had divorced his mother when the boy was fifteen. That had to be hard for him, Jack thought. He wasn't concerned about Emil. He was trying to figure out what it had done to his head. Jack knew, from all the experiences of CTU personnel, and his personal friends, that kids bore the brunt of any divorce. He was glad he and Teri had never come to that. At least Kim had been spared that pain. He was all too aware of what Kim had suffered after Teri's death, and a divorce would have been easier for her, he thought. But there'd been no choice to make. It had all been out of his hands. He realized he was letting himself get distracted. He had to concentrate on Drazen.

Emil had lived with his mother after the divorce, and Jack wondered what contact he'd had with his father. He'd certainly grown up with hatred. A humanitarian didn't plant bombs. The casualty figures from Moscow were still growing, Jack knew. Thank God we stopped New York and London, he thought. If those bombs had gone off, the death toll would have been enormous.

Jack read through the folder. Emil was a graduate of the University of Sarajevo. So he had contacts there. Interesting. It explained the Sarajevo money trail. Jack was momentarily surprised at how good his concentration was, and realized that wasn't exactly true. If he was really concentrating, he thought wryly, he wouldn't be thinking about how well he was doing it. Just another reason why I'm no good for this job anymore, he said to himself.

He forced himself to pay attention. Emil apparently had no girl friends. Just like his father, Jack thought. Alexis had been the lady-killer. And Emil hadn't been to see his mother in several years. Interesting, he thought again. Maybe he was closer to his father. That would help explain Emil's hatred, and his determination to avenge his father's death.

Jack waded deeper into the data. They had turned up a number of bank accounts in Emil's name, totaling more than $300 million dollars. The kid hadn't needed the money, Jack thought, although he couldn't shake the thought that recovering the $200 million glommed by Palmer was a large part of Emil's motivation. And at least $500 million was still unaccounted for.

Emil couldn't have acted alone, Jack knew. No one acting alone could have hidden bombs in three different cities simultaneously. But who was he working with? There had to be at least two more people involved. Were they part of Victor's old organization? They must be, Jack mused. Victor's people had been very well paid, and money bought a lot of loyalty. There was no reason they couldn't have transferred that loyalty to Emil. He could certainly afford it.

The more Jack read, the more he realized that there were still huge gaps in the data. Despite his impatience they were nowhere near ready to plan an operation. Jack knew from all of his experience at CTU that some things couldn't be rushed. The analysts had to pick apart all of the information they got, and some of the intel was false. Red herrings were common; terrorists either quickly learned how to cover their tracks, or they didn't last long.

But Jack knew that a person motivated by hatred was vulnerable. His own experience taught him that hatred blinded you, made you do things that you'd never do if you could look at things dispassionately. He remembered the day he'd murdered Victor Drazen. Drazen had emptied his gun at Jack, and had then raised his hands to surrender. Jack was so distraught by his belief that Kim was dead that he'd reacted emotionally, and had shot Victor over and over, had kept pulling the trigger after his own gun was empty. Jack wasn't sorry, but he was glad that the authorities had never learned of it. They'd have put me in jail for that, too, he thought to himself. It wasn't self-defense.

He realized that he understood Emil's desire for revenge. He recalled how he had shot Nina. He could have simply kicked the gun away from her, he knew. He hadn't positioned himself in front of the security camera deliberately, that was just a coincidence. Or was it? He wasn't sure. He remembered the satisfaction, the relief he'd felt as he'd shot her. He had no regrets about that, either.

When Chloe called him on the phone Jack was deep into Emil's bank accounts. He answered the phone crossly, annoyed at the interruption. He wasn't pleased to hear Chloe on the other end. He didn't feel like putting up with her less-than-charming personality.

"Yes, Chloe, what is it?" He tried to keep his voice neutral, but some of his irritation came through. Chloe, naturally, picked up on it.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Jack," she said with sarcasm. "But I was told to work with you. I've got some more data on Emil Drazen. Do you want me to bring it up? Or do you want to come down and deal with us lesser beings on the floor?"

"Bring it up, please, Chloe," Jack said, trying to control his temper. CTU always had a way of getting around his natural politeness. Maybe it just didn't go along with killing.

As he hung up the phone Jack girded himself for Chloe's arrival. He knew he'd have to work with her, and he didn't need any attitude. But with Chloe, he acknowledged, that seemed unavoidable.

She entered his office, still in a huff. "Here, Jack," she said, practically throwing papers at him. She turned and walked out. God, she's a real btch, he thought to himself. If she wasn't so good, I think someone would shoot her. And we have a lot of people at CTU with guns.

He pulled himself back to his task. As he leafed through the new pages, he saw something very interesting, and equally chilling. Emil had a half-brother. Andrei had a second son.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 3

Jack was getting tired. He'd been poring over the intel for more almost four hours, without a break. His back, which had been broken in prison, was screaming for him to stand up. He knew he needed to move around. He'd forgotten.

As he stood, he realized with surprise that he really had been able to concentrate. He stretched, and heard his back pop. Although the bones had healed, it still caused him pain. Just one among many, he thought, ruefully. And I'm getting older.

The thought didn't please him. He knew it was better than the alternative, of course, but Barbara was eight years younger than he was. He wanted to be able to keep up with her, and she was a very active lady.

Just thinking of her made him smile. He thought back to that morning, when she'd agreed to marry him. It was all coming together for him now. He was starting a new life.

Jack went down the stairs to get some coffee. As he headed for the kitchen, he saw people looking at him, and he felt uncomfortable. He didn't want to become a presence there. He just wanted to get finished, and get out.

Michelle came up to him. She, too, felt guilty that Tony had been pardoned, while Jack had been sent to prison. She'd been out of the office the previous day. When she heard of Palmer's duplicity she was shocked. Like everyone else, she'd never suspected that he was dishonest. He seemed so upright, she thought. So determined to serve the people. He'd fooled them all.

"Jack, welcome back," she said to him, looking up. Her diminutive stature reminded him of Barbara. So much did these days, he thought. To Michelle he said, "Thanks. It's good to see you. But I'm not 'back.'" He wanted to make sure everyone understood.

"Do you want some lunch? We're bringing in pizza." Jack remembered all the pizza he'd consumed here at CTU. Half the time it was cold, he recalled. We ate it straight out of the refrigerator. Many times cold pizza had been a luxury. They just hadn't had the time to eat.

"That'd be great," he replied. "Thanks."

"Do you want to eat with us?" she asked. "It should be here in a couple of minutes."

"Sure," he answered, although he really didn't want to. But these people hadn't done anything to him, and he didn't want to be rude. "I'll just get some coffee."

As he walked into the kitchen he saw some people sitting around a table, Chloe included, which surprised him. No one wanted to spend more time with Chloe than was absolutely necessary, he knew, but she had to have lunch, and no one would refuse to sit with her. He'd just try to avoid having to talk to her.

Jack poured his coffee, and they made a place for him at the table. He introduced himself to the others, although they already knew who he was. He was horrified to see that they all seemed to be half his age. God, they're getting younger, he thought. He didn't want to be reminded that he was getting older.

They'd been talking to each other when he walked in, but now the people at the table were quiet. They were in awe of the Great Jack Bauer, and he knew it. Although he never thought of himself that way, he knew that others did. It was just another reason why he couldn't return to CTU, he told himself. He couldn't bear the thought of being a Living Legend.

More people walked into the kitchen, and the other tables quickly filled. Someone walked in carrying a large stack of boxes. Pizza was passed around, and Jack accepted his paper plate gladly. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.

Gradually, conversation resumed, although Jack didn't participate. He heard people talking about a movie he and Barbara wanted to see, and the reviews were generally good. Maybe we'll do that this weekend, he thought. Barbara's not supposed to be out of town.

He realized that all of his thoughts now turned to Barbara. He hoped they could be married quickly. He couldn't wait to start his life with her, he thought with an inward smile. When he got home, he'd see if they could set a date.

The others around him were standing now. He'd been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed he'd finished eating. He stood, and with a nod to the others he walked back to his office.

The afternoon wasn't very productive. Chloe transferred more data to him with still more information about Emil, but none of it seemed particularly useful. Jack searched for data about Paul, Emil's half-brother, and was disappointed to see that they hadn't made much headway there. That's something we've definitely got to follow up on, he thought. He was sure that Paul was working with Emil, and had participated in the plot to blow up three cities. Paul would hate as much as Emil did.

They got a break around four. Tony called Jack, and asked him to come down to the floor. He was standing behind Adam.

"We think we've found Emil, Jack," Tony said. "He's drawing down one of his bank accounts, and the money's going to Vienna. We think there's a good chance that's where he is."

"Any sign of Paul?" Jack asked. "I think he's an important player here, Tony. They're working together. I think Paul helped Emil plant the bombs."

Tony didn't know how Jack had arrived at that conclusion, but it certainly made sense. He, like Jack, was convinced that Paul had grown up hating Jack and Palmer.

"We're looking, Jack. There's probably a good chance they're in communication, if they're not together. Paul and Emil seem to have been pretty tight as kids. It looks like Emil looked after his little brother. They were only four years apart."

Jack was pleased to hear it. He wanted both Drazens. He wasn't going to leave one out there, to come after his family again.

"Look at this, Tony," Adam said. He pointed to his screen, where new data had just appeared. "Paul's a student at the University of Austria. That's in Vienna. He has an apartment there."

"Good work," Jack said. "Maybe Paul can lead us to Emil. If they're in the same city, they probably see each other. Put agents on him," he directed, falling back into his old pattern of command. It was the most natural thing in the world.

Tony picked up a phone and spoke to the CTU office in Vienna. "They should be in place in an hour, Jack," he told him. "We'll blanket him with coverage, and see if he has contact with Emil. Our people are going to bug his apartment, and his phone." Tony was optimistic. "Although if he uses a cell, it'll be harder." Jack already knew that, but Tony was just thinking out loud.

"Does Paul have a girlfriend, Tony? Or does he stay at his apartment all the time? If we can find out who his friends are, it'll be easier to track his movements. We can bug their apartments, too. And maybe one of them will know Emil," Jack added. He wasn't ready to be optimistic, just yet, but he recognized that they were making progress.

He decided it was time to start making plans. "Tony, let's talk," he said. He and Tony walked back to his office. As they sat down, Jack said, "How do you think we should do this, Tony? What's the best way to take these guys out?"

"It may be too early to plan anything, Jack," Tony replied. "We don't know anything about their habits, their lifestyles, nothing we can really use. We need more intel before we can put together an operation." Tony was pleased that Jack was asking his opinion about a mission, and he was sorry he didn't sound more positive. But he had to be realistic.

Jack thought briefly that Tony was being too conservative, but then he realized Tony was right. Jack, of all people, knew that the more intel they had, the better the operation would go. And they didn't have a lot of intel, yet. He knew there'd be more. He just hoped they'd get it soon.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 4

Jack acknowledged to himself that it couldn't be done in one day. There wasn't enough intel yet to plan a mission, and he was tired. He'd have to come back.

As he drove home, he realized how unrealistic he'd been. He knew how long it took to set up an op. Aside from the logistics, many other things had to be put together. If he hurried, men might die. And he knew he'd never forgive himself if that happened because he rushed things.

He pulled into the driveway, and saw Barbara's Volvo in the garage. Red was her favorite color, so he hadn't been surprised that her car was red. It matches her personality, he thought. Fire.

She'd heard his car pull up, and she met him at the door. "Hello, Sweetheart," she said, and kissed him. He pulled her to him, and kissed her back.

He put his arm around her as they walked to the kitchen. He was suddenly hungry.

"Do you want to go out, Sweetheart?" he asked. It didn't seem fair for her to have to cook for him, when she worked as hard as he did.

"I've got steaks on the grill, and baked potatoes that'll be ready in a few minutes. We can start on the salad now. Do you want some wine?"

There was a bottle on the table already, along with a corkscrew. Barbara enjoyed wine, he knew. He'd brought a bottle the first time he'd come for dinner.

As Barbara went to get the steaks Jack opened the wine and poured for both of them. Then he dished out the salad. As soon as she sat down they started eating.

He told her about his day, without going into details about the intel they'd gathered. Barbara didn't have a security clearance, and he wouldn't have wanted her to know everything that CTU did, anyway. In some ways the less she knew, the better. He was determined to protect her from the horrors in the life of an intelligence agent. Kate had seen too much, and it had hurt their relationship. He wouldn't repeat that mistake.

After dinner they sat on the couch, and talked. Barbara said she didn't want a big wedding, and Jack was pleased. Big weddings took time to plan, and Jack didn't want to wait. He wanted to get married as soon as possible.

Jack called Kim, and told her the good news. Kim was thrilled, as Jack had expected. He knew she liked Barbara. Then he put Barbara on the phone, and the women in his life started making arrangements. Kim suggested a restaurant for the wedding that she and Chase liked in the Valley, and they agreed they'd all have brunch there on Sunday to check the place out. Kim asked Barbara where she thought she'd look for a dress, and they discussed different stores. The two women had different tastes in clothes, which was to be expected, for they were a generation apart. But Kim wanted to know all the details. She didn't want to be left out of anything.

Jack insisted on doing the dishes, and he cleaned up while Barbara and Kim spoke. When he finished, he walked back into the den, where Barbara had just finished her conversation with Kim. Jack pulled her onto his lap, and she put her arms around him.

Later, in bed, after they'd made love, they talked some more. Barbara asked Jack, tentatively, if he wanted children. He told her, for the first time, that Teri had been pregnant when she died. Barbara felt his sadness, and knew he still blamed himself. There were some things he could never forgive himself for, and this was one of them. But he said he wanted to have a child with her. Maybe more than one. She hadn't realized before just how important having a baby was to her, and she was surprised by the relief she felt when he answered. She drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

The next morning Jack was showered and dressed before the alarm went off. As she entered the kitchen, tying her robe, she saw that Jack had retrieved the paper, and was putting up the coffee. "You're up early," she said, as she hugged him from behind. "Couldn't sleep?"

He turned to her, and kissed her. "I want to see what new information they've dug up on the Drazens," he told her. "I want to get this over with."

She went to the refrigerator, and started taking out the eggs. "I'm not very hungry, Sweetheart," he said. "I just want coffee."

She filled two mugs, and they sat down at the table. "You really are eager to get there, Jack," she said. She wasn't sure if the only reason was the Drazens. He might just like being back at CTU, she knew. Although he'd never acknowledge it, not even to himself.

When he'd finished his coffee, he stood and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Sweetheart. I'll call you later."

Barbara watched him leave. She had an uncomfortable feeling. She didn't know why.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 5

Jack got in before the day shift. The people who worked nights were just finishing their reports. Jack checked the kitchen for coffee, but it wasn't fresh. He'd never stood on ceremony, and he wasn't going to start now. As he made a new pot, he reflected on how he seemed to be falling back into his old routine. I've got to be careful, he thought. I can't let myself get comfortable.

He found a Dodgers mug, and knew that Tony Almeida would be an unhappy camper. Tony hated the Dodgers. As he filled the cup, Tony walked in. Jack made sure to turn the mug so Tony could see the logo.

"Very funny, Jack, but one of these years the Cubs'll go all the way."

"Yeah, Tony. One of these years. But will you live that long?" The two men had always joked about Tony's fixation. Jack had grown up as a Dodgers fan, but he'd never been as rabid about his team as Tony was about the Cubs. They'd once gone to an L.A.-Chicago game together, and the Dodgers had won. Jack had teased Tony about it for a solid month. They'd always meant to go to another game, but they'd never found the time. It occurred to Jack that he regretted it.

"Have you had a chance to see what new intel came in, Tony?" Jack asked.

So much for fun and games, Tony thought. He'd hoped that Jack would be able to relax, at least a little. But he wondered whether he could, in Jack's shoes. He hadn't been to prison. He hadn't been abandoned by his friends. Tony's feeling of guilt came washing back. But he knew he couldn't undo the past, any more than Jack could. He'd have to make his peace with it. He watched Jack walk up the stairs to his office.

As he set the mug down, Jack spotted something. There was something stuck between the desk and the wall. He pulled it out, and sat there looking at it, stunned. It was a wallet-sized picture of Ryan Chappelle, holding a little girl. All of the horror came back to him. Shooting Ryan was the single worst thing Jack had ever done. He still had nightmares about it, and he hoped he always would. He deserved to.

After a while, Jack didn't know how long, he stood up. The coffee was cold. He realized he'd stared at the picture for a long time. He put the picture in his pocket, and sat down again. Then he reached for the file.

The night shift had been busy, he saw. They'd managed to collect a lot more information about both Drazens. Paul was in his senior year of college, and was studying biochemistry. Great, thought Jack. He'll know how to make his own bombs. No need for a middleman.

He read further. Paul had a girlfriend, Monique. He frequently stayed at her apartment. But after more reading, Jack saw that it looked like a dead end. Paul didn't seem to go anywhere with her. Maybe she's just good in bed, Jack thought. Maybe he doesn't want to be seen with her.

Jack thought of Alexis Drazen. He had been a real ladies' man. Jack knew that Palmer hadn't been able to get Elizabeth Nash off completely. She'd been convicted of manslaughter, but had been given a light sentence. She'd served a year in a half-way house. Jack hadn't gotten the same consideration.

After reading a few more pages Jack sat back and pinched the bridge of his nose. There's a lot of data here, he thought, but none of it's useful. We still don't know anything about Paul that's worth anything We know he goes to classes, and he has a girlfriend. That's all. Dammit!

He got up for more coffee, but then sat back down. He knew that CTU had agents who could pass for college students. Why couldn't they send someone in to befriend Paul? They'd have to find someone who spoke German, but that shouldn't be too hard. If necessary, they'd get someone from one of the Agency's overseas offices. Maybe that's the way to approach this, he mused. Get someone on the inside.

He leaned back in his chair as he considered this. He didn't know enough about Paul yet. Was Paul like his father, guarded in forming new relationships? Or was he a sexual predator, like his uncle, Alexis? This would have to be planned very carefully.

Jack saw more background on Andrei's divorce from Eda, Emil's mother. Although he'd had a mistress, Marie, who'd become Paul's mother, it was Andre who had filed for divorce. What was that about? Had Eda been cheating on Andrei, too? He was surprised to see that Andrei had paid very little child support for Emil. He'd certainly had the money. He could have supported his family comfortably, Jack thought. Instead, Eda had gone to work in a store near her house, where she'd worked in the afternoons and evenings. There was no indication that he'd had a babysitter. So Emil had stayed alone after school, Jack mused. A solitary personality. How can I use this, Jack thought. Maybe we can lure him away, and take him down when he's alone.

A plan started to form in Jack's mind. Could they get someone inside? To befriend Paul? They'd have to do this carefully, if they wanted to manipulate these men. No doubt they were cautious. He also knew they'd have bodyguards. The Drazens weren't ones to take chances.

Victor, Andrei and Alex had been brought down by their hatred of Jack and Palmer. They had let it cloud their judgment, and they made themselves vulnerable by threatening Teri and Kim, for they had underestimated Jack's determination to rescue them. Their plan to have Gaines lure Jack in had backfired. He had found his family, and brought them to safety. Or so he'd thought. Jack still kicked himself for not making sure that they were fully secure at the safe house. He should have insisted that more than two agents guard them there. That he had sent Nina to watch over them still haunted him. He'd always thought he had good intuition when it came to people. His mistake with Nina was something he had to live with, but that was a major part of the guilt he felt. So much for my ability to read people, he thought. He'd never forgive himself for his relationship with her. Not only had it hurt Teri, but he had allowed it to cloud his judgment, just as the Drazens' hatred of him had caused them to underestimate his feelings for his family. Victor's certainty that Jack would come after them if he was told that Kim had died had backfired. Telling Jack that Kim was dead had give him such determination to wreak revenge that he was prepared to die to get them. Jack had been so devastated that he hadn't cared what happened to him. His utter rage had led to Victor's death, along with Andrei's. It was never a good idea to mess with Jack Bauer.

He was interrupted by the phone. "Please hold for the President," he heard. The last person Jack wanted to talk to was David Palmer. But was under arrest. How could he be calling Jack now?

"This is Jim Prescott," said the voice on the other end. "It's good to talk to you again, Jack. I want to thank you for finding the bombs. You saved your country again, and we're forever indebted to you."

"Thank you," said Jack. He knew Prescott had been sworn in as soon as Palmer had resigned. Jack knew that the government would never allow a vacancy at the top. It was too dangerous for the nation. But he was surprised by the call.

Prescott continued, "Jack, I know you got a raw deal from David Palmer. That's something I intend to rectify. I'm signing a pardon for you this morning, Jack, and I'm ordering your criminal record to be expunged. You won't be an ex-con anymore. You'll be restored to full citizenship, and your security clearance will be reinstated. Your government owes you that, and much more." He paused. "I've been briefed on your experiences in prison. That you survived is a miracle. I wish I could do something to make up for what you went through, but that's not possible. At least I can issue a pardon."

Jack heard the words, but they didn't fully sink in. All that registered was that he would be pardoned, and that was enough. His innocence of the charges against him would become known. He hadn't realized before just how much being labeled an ex-con had bothered him. That it was over brought him tremendous relief.

"Thank you, Mr. President. For everything. The pardon means a lot. I can get my good name back, and that's very important to me. I hated for people to think that I was a criminal."

Jack felt tears forming in his eyes. He hadn't expected a pardon. He hadn't let himself even hope for one any more. He was thrilled. He couldn't wait to tell Barbara.

"Jack, there's one more thing. I've restored your security clearance because we need you. I met with the chiefs of our intelligence agencies this morning, including Michael Stern. He told me he asked you to become Director of Field Operations for CTU, but you turned him down. I hope you'll reconsider. I know from your file that you're the best CTU has. You may be the best of all of our intelligence agents. We need you. Your country needs you." Prescott knew of Jack's loyalty to the United States. He'd been convinced by Stern that Jack was crucial to CTU, and he was determined to help Stern win him back.

"I'm sorry, Mr. President," Jack replied. "I can't go back to CTU."

Prescott realized that part of Jack's reason was mistrust of CTU, and of the government that had put him in prison. "Jack, I'll give you a pardon, in advance, for all actions you might take on behalf of CTU. You won't be vulnerable to any more conspiracies against you. Not that I think there'd by any. But you won't have to worry about that."

Jack heard what Prescott said, but he wasn't fully reassured. He'd never forget what they'd done to him in prison. And Prescott had acknowledged that that could never be undone. Besides, he wouldn't be fair to Barbara if he went back. Despite her protestations to the contrary, he knew she didn't want him to return to CTU. No, his days there were over. He'd finish with the Drazens, and that would be the end.

"Mr. President," he repeated, "I can't go back. I don't have what it takes anymore, and I don't even want to try. I'm sorry," he added, feeling genuine regret. Prescott was speaking with real sensitivity. Or was Jack misreading him, as he had Palmer? He didn't trust his judgment anymore, and that was fatal for an agent. Just one more reason why I can't go back, he thought.

Prescott wasn't about to give up. "Think it over, Jack. The pardon should change everything, and the advance pardon should allay any concerns you might have. We really need you, Jack. So please reconsider."

Jack felt trapped. If he agreed to Prescott's last request, he would open a door to more pressure to return. If he refused once more, he would sound ungrateful to the President of the United States. He couldn't do that.

"I'll think it over, Mr. President. But please don't expect me to change my mind. I really don't see it happening.

As Jack had suspected, Prescott thought that he might be getting through to Jack. I might be able to get him to return, the President thought. Stern had convinced him that it was crucial, and Prescott agreed. He wasn't about to ease the pressure on Jack.

"That's all your country asks, Jack," he said, knowing that Jack's loyalty to the nation was undiminished. Some things never changed, no matter the provocation. This was the best Prescott could hope for, and he chalked it up as a victory. Jack would be back, he assured himself. A little more stroking, a little more handling, and Jack would relent, Prescott thought with relief. I'm off to a good start in the Oval Office.

Jack heard the satisfaction in Prescott's voice, and understood why he had been afraid to cross the threshold earlier that morning. He had taken a step back into the chamber of horrors. He wondered again if he'd find a way out.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 6

After bidding each other good-bye, Jack and Prescott hung up. They'd each said all they had to. Neither of them was fully satisfied.

After playing the conversation with Prescott over in his mind, Jack called Barbara. "Hi, Baby," he said, not sure how to break the bad news with the good. "President Prescott just called. He issued me a full pardon, and there will be no record of a criminal conviction. I've been cleared, Baby."

The relief and happiness in Barbara's voice were palpable. "Oh, Jack, that's the best news," she said, her joy unmistakable. She, too, had never expected this to happen. "That's so wonderful. That must be one of the first things Prescott did. He realizes what they did to you. You've been vindicated. It's about time."

Jack pondered the bad news he was about to give her, and decided that the best way to tell her was directly. "Prescott asked me to return to CTU, and I told him I'd think about it."

Barbara closed her eyes, and realized that while she'd hoped she was wrong, she really had been right. Jack belonged at CTU. He'd always be committed to the work they did. And he'd never change.

She didn't let Jack hear the disappointment in her voice. She'd said she'd accept any decision he made, and she meant it. She'd just have to find a way to live with it.

"What can we do to celebrate, Jack?" She had changed the subject back. "News like this deserves a party. A big blow-out. Do you want a party, Jack? What do you want to do?"

Barbara knew that Jack preferred things low-key, so she wasn't surprised by his response. "I really just want a quiet dinner with you. Maybe with Kim and Chase, too. I don't want a party, Barb."

She accepted his decision. She'd expected it, but she had hoped Jack would want to really celebrate. There'd been so little in his life to really cheer about. She thought letting loose with other people genuinely happy for him would be good for him. He really needed to loosen up. But she wasn't going to make an issue about it. It was Jack's decision.

"I can make a reservation for us at Scott's tonight," she suggested. It was Jack's favorite restaurant, casual, but with great food. He wasn't a formal-type man. "When you call Kim, ask her if she and Chase can join us for dinner. Just let me know." She was determined that they would celebrate his pardon in some fashion. She wouldn't insist on a party, although she loved to entertain. Jack had stated his preference, and she wouldn't push him on it. She loved and respected him too much. She'd never try to manipulate him.

"I'll call Kim now," he said. "I'll let you know about dinner."

When he told Kim about the pardon she was speechless with delight. "I'm so happy for you, Dad!" she exclaimed. "That's great! I'm going to call Chase and give him the good news."

"Just a minute,"Jack said. "Barbara and I are going to Scott's tonight to celebrate. We want you and Chase to join us."

Kim immediately agreed. She wanted to be with Jack to share the wonderful news. He didn't tell her about his promise to Prescott. He didn't want to upset her. There was no way Kim would approve of Jack returning to CTU. She knew how his work there had adversely affected his home life with Teri and herself. She liked Barbara, and wanted her marriage to her dad to work. To have a chance of that happening, she recognized with maturity, Jack couldn't return to CTU.

Jack called Barbara back to tell her that Kim and Chase would be meeting them for dinner. She was genuinely pleased. One of the things about Jack that she loved, among so many others, was his devotion to his daughter. Barbara knew that Jack was just as committed to her.

After they hung up, Jack was determined to get back to work. The sooner he finished with the Drazens, the sooner he could give all of his attention to Barbara. That was his top priority. He knew, at last, that he deserved happiness. And Barbara made him happy.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 6

The new intel Jack read over pleased him. They had determined that Emil and Paul met for dinner at least once a week. Maybe this'll be easier than we thought, Jack thought to himself. We can mount an operation to capture them, without anyone having to go undercover. He knew that was the most dangerous thing for an agent to do, because a cover could easily be blown. It wouldn't have to be a major covert op. Emil and Paul seemed to favor the same two restaurants. If they staked them both out, they'd be able to grab them. Each of them had two bodyguards, but Jack believed they could be taken care of with relative ease. His teams had paralyzing darts available, as well as silenced conventional weapons. With luck, no civilians would be hurt. But Jack was prepared for some collateral damage, if that's what it took.

He called Tony to his office, and told him what he needed. "We have to have four teams, Tony. I want two of them to stake out the restaurants, and I want one each to follow Paul and Emil. We have to learn more about their bodyguards, and we have to know what routes they travel to get to the restaurants. If we can grab them before they actually get inside, I think we may be able to avoid civilian casualties." But Tony knew that if civilians were hurt, they could live with it. The most important thing was getting the Drazens. He also knew that Jack really didn't want them captured. He wanted them dead.

Tony went to set up the teams. They'd be briefed on new intel as it was gathered, but they could start their preparations in the meantime. He reflected that Jack was back in the swing of things. For all of his time away from CTU, his training had kicked right in, and his instincts were as good as ever. Tony felt optimistic. With Jack back, the mission was far more likely to succeed.

Jack went to brief Hammond. Although he reported directly to Stern, Jack realized that he needed Hammond's cooperation, for he would be using Brad's teams for the mission. Jack wasn't used to running field ops for all of CTU, so he didn't stop to think that the teams didn't have to come out of L.A. He knew that he would use agents in Vienna, but only for purposes of assisting his L.A. personnel.

As he told Hammond of his plan, Jack realized that he was nowhere close to setting up the full mission. He had to make arrangements for dealing with the Drazens after they were captured. He didn't want to acknowledge to himself that he would do everything to make sure they were killed. He didn't want to think of himself as an assassin.

Hammond had been told of the pardon, and he was truly glad for Jack. He, too, recognized that he had let Jack down when he was prosecuted, and he was enormously pleased that Jack had been cleared. He knew he deserved it. Hammond was also enthusiastic about the mission, at least in part because Jack was immersed in it. Hammond hoped that a successful operation would help Jack to re-commit to CTU. Although he didn't yet share Stern's determination that Jack come back to CTU full time, he was starting to recognize that Jack was more able to resume his duties than he had thought. Jack might be able to pull off running field ops for the whole agency, Hammond thought. He finally acknowledged to himself that it would be CTU's gain if Jack agreed to return. Hammond hoped that Jack would reconsider his refusal to come back, and not just because the new president wanted it, although Hammond was a civil servant through and through. He knew advancement in his career depended on the successes of his agents. And he was very ambitious. He hoped to be the Director of CTU one day. Having one of his former underlings directing field ops for all of CTU would help.

As Hammond reviewed Jack's plan to grab Emil and Paul Drazen, he recognized that there was no plan for after they were captured. He, too, knew that Jack wanted them dead, and he shared the feeling. These guys were too dangerous to remain loose, and the plot to free Victor from prison showed that so long as a Drazen was alive, there would always be the risk that someone - or more likely a lot of someones - would try to free them from captivity. He pointed this out to Jack.

"I'm working on that part now," Jack said, referring to the need for an 'exit strategy.' I want to get them out of Vienna before anyone realizes they're gone. We'll probably have to take out their bodyguards, but there are only four of them at a time, two each for Emil and Paul. If I plan this right, we can take them down while they're on their way to the restaurant, so we may be able to grab them in their cars. We can use the cars to get them out of Vienna, along with the bodyguards. Although they'll probably have to die," he said, meaning the Drazens' security men. Jack didn't say that if his plan worked right, the Drazens would die, too. He didn't have to. It was implicit.

Jack walked back to his office. He realized he was thinking of it that way, and it disturbed him. He couldn't let himself get sucked back into CTU, despite his promise to Prescott to reconsider. The place had nearly destroyed him. He wouldn't survive a second attempt.

Ensconced at his desk, Jack took another look at the file. Someone had put new intel on top of it while he'd been with Hammond. It took his breath away. There was a third Drazen. His name was Anton. He was Paul's younger brother.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 7

Jack pondered this new development. Anton was 16, while Paul was 20, and Emil was 24. Evenly spaced, Jack thought, but he didn't know if it mattered. Anton was at a boarding school in Switzerland. That would make the mission much harder, for he would need at least one more team to grab Anton while the others took down Emil and Paul. Getting the older brothers would be relatively easy, he hoped. They'd be at a location known to his agents, and he thought they could be captured quietly. But Anton was at a school, and the grounds were secure. Jack didn't know how he could get his agents on campus without being caught. But it would have to be done that way.

Jack thought again of the CTU agents who could pass for college students. But could they get away with acting like they were still in high school? He had to find out.

As he checked the personnel records, Jack saw that none of the L.A. agents spoke fluent German. The only one who had, he recalled, was Nina.

Jack tried to sort through the ideas flooding his mind. There were a lot of different scenarios to consider. He still thought that the best one was to take out Emil and Paul on their way to the restaurant. But he couldn't come up with a plan to get Anton.

He thought again of insinuating an agent, but into Anton's circle of friends, rather than Paul's. But that would take time. He knew that Anton would be naturally suspicious, and he probably wouldn't trust someone new right away. Jack wanted to get this operation over quickly. He needed the Drazens to die.

As he pondered this, he realized that there might be another way. They could lure Anton to Vienna, where Emil and Paul were. But how to convince Anton that he had to go to see his brothers?

He had another thought. What if Emil and Paul went to see Anton? They could injure Anton in some way, and his brothers would come to see him. They all seemed close. They'd certainly go to their little brother if he had been hurt.

A plan slowly formed in Jack's mind. What was more natural in Switzerland than a skiing accident? He knew from the file that all three brothers were athletic. It would be easy to determine if Anton liked to ski, and an accident would be simple to set up on the slopes. He could arrange for a snowboarder to hit Anton. And that would pretty much guarantee an injury.

Who at CTU knew how to ski? Jack and Barbara were good at it, and they went to Tahoe whenever they could get away. But Jack couldn't run down Anton. His very presence would give away the plan. Besides, his physical condition wouldn't permit it.

Tony, Jack thought. He skis. Jack didn't even consider that CTU's agents in Switzerland were probably better at it than Tony.

Jack walked down the stairs to talk to Tony. They went into the conference room, and Jack told Tony his plan. Tony listened as Jack explained how he wanted to take out all three Drazen brothers at the same time. Tony thought it was a good plan. But he wasn't sure about the skiing accident.

"I'm not that good on skis," he told Jack. "There's a good chance I couldn't pull it off. I might not be able to hit Anton."

Jack appreciated Tony's honesty. Tony was a good field agent. He was too dedicated to let his ego interfere with a mission.

"Then who else have we got?" Jack asked him. "I can't do it, because at the first sight of me Anton's bodyguards would make sure he went into hiding. We need someone who's a good skier."

Tony had the answer. "Why does it have to be an agent from CTU L.A., Jack? The people in the Swiss office must know how to ski. There must be at least one agent who's good enough to pull this off."

With a jolt Jack instantly saw that Tony was right. He had to broaden his horizons. He realized that he had discounted the use of Swiss agents. He didn't have to rely on his people in L.A. It would be a mistake. He remembered that CTU had good agents all over the world. The people in the Zurich office could make this mission work.

It was simple for Adam to determine that Anton did, indeed, know how to ski. In fact, he skied like a pro, going down the quadruple black diamond slopes every chance he got. With this information, Jack and Tony started working on the logistics of the mission.

Jack knew he had to go to Zurich to coordinate the operation. Tony would go to Zurich as well, to follow Emil and Paul as they left Vienna after Anton was taken down, to go to their brother's bedside. Jack didn't want to rely on anyone but Tony for that aspect of the mission. Tony was one of the best agents, Jack knew. He would be able to keep track of Emil and Paul. With this thought in mind he started to plan the operation with Tony.

As he drove home, Jack recognized that he couldn't go to Zurich unless he was sure that Barbara, Kim, and Robby, his grandson, were safe. Until the Drazens were dead, they would be at risk, and it was more than Chase could do alone. Jack called Tony from his cellphone. Tony agreed to assign four agents to protect Barbara, and four for Kim and Robby as well. He shared Jack's belief that until the Drazens were dead, Jack's family was in jeopardy. He wasn't going to repeat the mistake they'd made with Teri and Kim. The Bauer family would have enough security to keep them safe.

Jack had earlier called Barbara, and told her they had to postpone the dinner they'd planned for that night to celebrate his pardon. Barbara called Kim to tell her. Kim was disappointed, but she didn't suspect something was going on.

Barbara knew that Jack was involved in an operation at CTU. The night before he'd told her about Victor Drazen and his sons, and how they had tried to get to Jack at the same time they went after Palmer. The Palmer assassination attempt had been all over the news, but the threat to Jack and his family had never been disclosed. For the first time, Barbara understood all of the circumstances surrounding Teri's death, and her heart broke for Jack. She understood the depth of his pain, and she was determined to ease it in any way she could.

When he got home, he told her that he had to go out of town. She assumed, correctly, that it had to do with the Drazens. She knew from Jack how vicious those men were. She hoped Jack wouldn't actually participate in the mission. She hoped Jack was just going to supervise. He was only supposed to direct the field op, he'd told her. She hoped he wouldn't do more, but she doubted it.

The next morning Jack and Tony flew to Zurich. They met with the local agents, and told them the plan. Quite a few of the Swiss contingency of CTU were experts on the slopes. Several men volunteered for the mission.

Jack decided it would be best to have two men ready to make the take-down. Both would wait at the top of the mountain until Anton got off the gondola. They would ski in tandem until no one was near Anton, and the better-positioned one would go at him. Jack was confident when he selected the two-man team. Both were large, athletic, and experts on skis. If one missed, the other surely would get their man.

Tony, meanwhile was coordinating with the teams following Emil and Paul. While the brothers were scheduled to meet that night for dinner Jack didn't want to capture them yet. If he learned his brothers were in custody Anton might go into hiding.

From the wiretaps they learned that Anton intended to go to Gstaadt for the week-end, where the skiing was excellent. Jack dispatched his men there. He had eight agents assigned to follow Anton. Two would be on the slopes. The others would follow him to the hospital, and prepare to take Emil and Paul when they arrived. The agents following Emil and Paul from Vienna would provide back-up.

Jack was satisfied with the plan, as satisfied as he ever was before a mission. But he wasn't blind. He knew that countless things could go wrong with any operation, most of which couldn't be anticipated. The most common problem was timing. The slightest thing could happen. A subject could be delayed, or he could be early. Agents could get trapped in traffic, no matter how much time they allowed to reach their destination. Jack had experienced far too many missions where something had gone wrong to be sanguine about this one. You need luck as well as planning and skill to pull off an op, he thought. He hoped luck would be with him this time. The safety of the people he loved depended on it.

Jack and Tony left for Gstaadt that afternoon. The teams watching Emil and Paul reported that they were behaving normally. Their bodyguards were alert, but didn't seem to be taking any extra precautions. They didn't suspect anything. Another agent reported in. Anton had left school to go skiing.

It was snowing the next morning, but not heavily enough to disrupt the skiers. Jack didn't think Anton knew what he looked like, but he wasn't going to take any chances, so he stayed in his hotel room. Tony, however, went to the ski slopes. They didn't think any of the Drazens knew Tony by sight, so it would be safe for him to go to the scene of the 'accident.'

Tony saw Anton arrive at the gondola station at 10:30. He was accompanied by a single bodyguard, but he had two friends with him. "Dammit!" Jack said, when Tony reported in. Already there was a problem. But they had a contingency plan to cover this. Instead of his two agents skiing in tandem behind Anton, one would try to cut him off from his friends. A single bodyguard wouldn't be able to stop an out-of-control snowboarder.

Jack stood at his hotel window, and tried to imagine the scene at the top of the mountain. It took 23 minutes for the gondola to reach the top. Jack knew that his men were in position, and that the situation was now beyond his control. He could only hope for the best.

It seemed like hours before Tony called. They'd gotten Anton. He was being brought down the mountain by the ski patrol. It looked like his leg had been broken by the skiboarder. Thank God, Jack breathed. Now we need to make sure that Emil and Paul get the message that Anton is in the hosital.

He alerted the agents monitoring the Drazens' wiretaps. They'd managed to learn the frequencies of Emil and Paul's cellphones, and they heard the doctor's call to Paul, informing him that his younger brother had been hurt. The next call they intercepted was between Paul and Emil. They made plans to go to Gstaadt, to see Anton. Things seemed to be working.

Jack's desire to go to the hospital was overwhelming. He knew he couldn't jeopardize the mission, but he had to see the three Drazens taken down. Only then could he be sure that Barbara and Kim were safe. And Robby, too, he remembered. He couldn't let anything happen to his grandson.

Jack decided to chance it. He pulled a knitted cap on over his grey-blonde hair, and put on his parka and gloves. Because it was so cold most people walked quickly, and didn't wait to go inside. Jack thought he could safely watch from the unmarked CTU van on the site.

He took a cab to the hospital, and quickly entered the van. It was unobtrusively parked among other cars and SUVs. Nothing looked out of place to him. There was nothing to alert Paul or Emil that they were being watched.

Finally, a green SUV pulled up to the entrance. Paul was driving. Jack watched Emil get out and go into the hospital, while Paul looked for a place to park. He found a slot not far from the front door, and hurried inside. Good, Jack thought. We've got them contained.

The CTU teams entered the hospital. Jack knew two of the men would cover the elevators, while two more watched the stairs. That would leave four men to watch Anton's room. They would cut the Drazens off.

Jack listened on his walkie-talkie as the men moved into position. He heard one say that Emil had entered Anton's room, while Paul was walking down the hall headed that way.

Suddenly Jack heard a commotion over the radio, followed by the sound of shots. Something clearly had gone wrong. He was alone in the van, and he couldn't get anyone to answer him on the walkie-talkie. "Son of a btch!" he yelled. He didn't know what was happening, and he had to find out

Jack saw Emil and Paul run out of the hospital to their SUV. Emil was bleeding from his leg. They tore out of the parking lot. Jack jumped behind the wheel of the van, and drove out of the parking lot to follow them.

The snow had gotten heavier, and there wasn't much traffic on the roads. He was afraid Emil and Paul would spot him tailing them, but if he dropped back too far he'd lose them in what was fast becoming a white-out. Dammit! he said to himself. A blizzard is not the best thing for a tail. And these roads are becoming impassable. He wished he was in an SUV, but at least the van was white. That might help.

The Drazens were making better time than Jack was. They weren't as hampered by the slippery roads, so they were able to gain speed in their SUV. As they started to pull ahead, Jack was afraid they'd get away. He'd never be able to catch up without four-wheel drive.

As he rounded a bend, Jack saw that the SUV had gone off the road, and was smashed against a tree. He saw the Drazens climb out and look at the car. They're just standing there, he thought. They don't realize they've been followed!

He pulled the van off to the side, and got out. He was glad that his jacket was white, but he knew that in his jeans he still wouldn't blend in with the snow. But it was coming down even harder. As he crept up he saw them arguing. Maybe they wouldn't notice him.

Jack pulled the gun from his holster. He'd had no intention of participating in the mission, but he was incapable of going into the field unarmed. As he got closer to the two men, he heard Emil shouting at Paul. "How could you do something so stupid?" he yelled. "We walked right into a trap! They've got Anton, and they're coming after us. Why did you tell our bodyguards not to come?"

Paul tried to defend himself. "I didn't tell them that. I got the last two available plane tickets. They were supposed to be on the next flight. They should have been here by now." Neither knew that the bodyguards had been intercepted at the Zurich airport by Jack's men.

Still, Jack didn't like the odds. He knew from intel that both men were expert shots. And he had no way to maneuver. They'd be able to spot his dark pants if he tried to circle around them. He had to take them head-on.

Jack moved in as close as he could get without being seen. Then he called out, "Federal agent! Hands in the air! Now!"

Both men went for their guns. Jack got off the first shot, and hit Paul in the arm. He cried out in pain, and dropped his gun. Jack fired a second shot, and Paul fell to the road.

Jack turned and aimed at Emil, but Emil had already raised his gun to Jack. Jack felt a bullet pierce his stomach. The sharp pain that followed dropped him to his knees, and his gun slipped from his hand. As he struggled to find it in the snow, he saw Emil coming towards him. The bullet in his leg wasn't slowing him down.

Another shot just missed Jack's head. He was feeling around him, desperate to find his gun. Emil fired again, and got Jack in the shoulder. Jack fell back into the snow, and saw Emil continue towards him. Weakly, Jack put his hands in the air.

"Get up!" Emil commanded. Jack struggled to stand up. As he did so, he felt another bullet pierce his chest. Jack was down for the count. Emil knew Jack was dead.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 8

Jack came to in a pool of his own blood, surprised to be alive. He realized how badly he was hurt. He managed to crawl to the van, but he was unable to raise himself enough to reach the door handle. He slumped back down into the snow.

After a minute he roused again. More determined than ever, he managed to get the door open. It took another minute before he was able to pull himself inside, longer still before he could sit up. He had to get moving. He had to find Emil.

Jack could hardly breathe. There were bubbles of blood in his mouth now, and he felt like he was drowning. He managed to turn the key, but he was too weak to put the van into gear. After three attempts he finally managed to budge the lever. With a cry of pain he pressed down on the accelerator.

Despite the blizzard conditions it was relatively easy to follow Emil's SUV. It had been badly damaged in the crash, and was dropping parts onto the road. It was also leaking oil, which only made the road more treacherous. Jack was almost too weak to steer the van, but he was determined to follow.

He saw where the SUV had pulled off the road, and stopped. Jack managed to reach over to the glove compartment and extract a gun, and an extra clip. Not much, he thought. But it's all I've got.

He didn't manage to step out of the van so much as he fell out of it. Sprawled in the snow, Jack forced himself to roll over and crawl on his hands and knees like a dog. He was too weak to stand. But then a bullet narrowly missed his ear. Emil knew he was there.

Jack hunched down in the snow. He tried to spot Emil, but the snow was falling too heavily. All Jack could do for the moment was rest, and hope that Emil wasn't coming up on him. He was too weak to turn around.

Behind him, he heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked. He was afraid. He didn't want to die.

With a final burst of strength that he didn't know he had, Jack managed to fling himself around, at the same time he fired a shot. Somehow, the bullet found Emil. "Thank you, God," Jack whispered. He knew he hadn't aimed his gun.

Unfinished Business - Chapter 9

Tony was waiting at the hospital when the ambulance pulled up, and they gently lifted Jack out on the gurney. He had lost a lot of blood. Tony hurried alongside the stretcher as they wheeled Jack straight into surgery.

"Anton's dead, Jack," Tony told him. Jack was barely conscious, but he knew what Tony was saying.

"Emil? Paul?" he managed to get out. "Both dead," Tony responded. "You got them both."

Despite the pain, Jack relaxed. He knew it was more than just the morphine.

Tony arranged for Barbara to fly on a military transport straight to Switzerland. She saw Tony sitting in the hospital hallway, just outside Jack's room. He stood when he saw her running towards him. "He's okay, Barbara," he tried to reassure her. "He's going to be fine."

As she entered the ICU Barbara was horrified to see all the IV's connected to Jack, but she was even more frightened by how pale he was. He looked even worse than he did in the prison hospital, she thought. And he'd almost died then.

It was three weeks before they flew Jack home on a med-evac plane. He spent two more weeks in the hospital before he was discharged.

As Barbara and Tony helped him into the house, Jack thought again how lucky he was to be alive. He knew with even more certainty that his days as a counterterrorism agent were over. He couldn't do this to Barbara again. He couldn't do it to himself.

Although Jack devoted himself to getting well, the terrible injuries made it slow-going. Physical therapy brought unbearable pain, but Jack refused to take painkillers. He wouldn't go near narcotics. He was relieved that the opiates they'd given him in the hospital hadn't renewed his addiction. He'd never go through that again. He had a life to live.

In bed, Barbara gingerly cradled Jack in her arms. He was still in a great deal of pain, and she admired his resolve to avoid drugs. She knew what it was costing him, but he was determined.

As he recovered they made plans. They'd have just their immediate families and closest friends at their wedding. Then they'd go off to an island somewhere, and lie in the sun. And they would start their life together.


End file.
